11 January 2026
Columbia River Winter Fishing Forecast: Steelhead, Walleye, and Sturgeon in the Metro Area
Columbia River Portland Fishing Report Today
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This is Artificial Lure with your Columbia River, Portland fishing report.
Columbia’s running a mellow winter pace this morning. According to NOAA’s Portland Morrison Street Bridge tide predictions, you’re looking at a soft low early, building into a modest mid‑day high, then easing back again this evening. Around Vancouver, Tide-Forecast shows a low just after first light, a 2.8‑ish foot high about midday, and another drop after dark. That means the **late‑morning flood and first part of the outgoing** will be your best bet for moving‑water bites.
Sun pops up about 7:50 and ducks out close to 4:50, so your real window is that **8 a.m. to early afternoon** band when the current’s building and the river’s got some color but still fishable.
Weather-wise, the Portland stretch is typical January: cool, damp, and a little gray. Think mid‑30s to low‑40s at daybreak, maybe nudging into the upper‑40s with light rain and a light east breeze later. Layer up, waterproof shell, and don’t skip the gloves; that north wind off the channel will numb your hands in a hurry.
On the fish side, it’s shoulder season on the mainstem, but there’s still life out there. The Guides Forecast and other local reports have winter **steelhead** showing in better numbers system‑wide, with most of the real action in the tribs, but a few strays and late coho still sliding through the Portland reach. Walleye and resident sturgeon are really what keep folks honest out here right now.
Recent catches:
- **Steelhead:** light but steady pick for folks side‑drifting and bobber‑doggin’ near the mouths of the Sandy and Washougal.
- **Walleye:** fair catches in 20–35 feet on the seams below the I‑205 bridge and down toward Government Island.
- **Sturgeon:** mostly catch‑and‑release, but plenty of shakers and the odd keeper‑class reported between Kelly Point and Sauvie’s slots where regulations allow. Always double‑check the current regs before you soak a bait.
Best offerings today:
- For **steelhead**, think small and natural: 1/8‑oz jigs in black/blue or cerise with a little shrimp oil, or small spin‑n‑glos with a match‑head size chunk of sand shrimp or coon‑stripe tail. A nickel‑size glob of eggs under a float will still get bit when the water’s got a little stain.
- For **walleye**, go with 3–4" soft plastics on 3/8‑ to 1/2‑oz jigheads in green pumpkin, perch, or plain white, hopped slow right on bottom. Slow‑trolled worm harnesses behind a bottom‑walker in chartreuse or firetiger will mop up when the wind gives you a steady slide.
- For **sturgeon**, classic Columbia fare: sand shrimp, smelt, or squid strips on a slider, 8–10 oz of lead depending on current, 60–80 lb leader. Fresh bait will out‑fish the freezer‑burned stuff every time.
Couple of local hot spots to put on your list:
- **Government Island / I‑205 Reach**: Work the edges in 20–35 feet for walleye on the flood, then slide a little deeper as the tide tops out. Good place to bobber fish for the odd traveling steelhead too.
- **Kelly Point down toward Sauvies**: Anchor on the inside turns for sturgeon, especially right as that mid‑day high rolls over and starts to dump. Look for 35–60 feet and a clean mud bottom.
Overall, don’t expect summer numbers, but if you fish that mid‑day tide swing, keep your gear slow and close to bottom, and move until you mark life, you’ve got a real shot at bending a rod.
Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss tomorrow’s report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
Columbia’s running a mellow winter pace this morning. According to NOAA’s Portland Morrison Street Bridge tide predictions, you’re looking at a soft low early, building into a modest mid‑day high, then easing back again this evening. Around Vancouver, Tide-Forecast shows a low just after first light, a 2.8‑ish foot high about midday, and another drop after dark. That means the **late‑morning flood and first part of the outgoing** will be your best bet for moving‑water bites.
Sun pops up about 7:50 and ducks out close to 4:50, so your real window is that **8 a.m. to early afternoon** band when the current’s building and the river’s got some color but still fishable.
Weather-wise, the Portland stretch is typical January: cool, damp, and a little gray. Think mid‑30s to low‑40s at daybreak, maybe nudging into the upper‑40s with light rain and a light east breeze later. Layer up, waterproof shell, and don’t skip the gloves; that north wind off the channel will numb your hands in a hurry.
On the fish side, it’s shoulder season on the mainstem, but there’s still life out there. The Guides Forecast and other local reports have winter **steelhead** showing in better numbers system‑wide, with most of the real action in the tribs, but a few strays and late coho still sliding through the Portland reach. Walleye and resident sturgeon are really what keep folks honest out here right now.
Recent catches:
- **Steelhead:** light but steady pick for folks side‑drifting and bobber‑doggin’ near the mouths of the Sandy and Washougal.
- **Walleye:** fair catches in 20–35 feet on the seams below the I‑205 bridge and down toward Government Island.
- **Sturgeon:** mostly catch‑and‑release, but plenty of shakers and the odd keeper‑class reported between Kelly Point and Sauvie’s slots where regulations allow. Always double‑check the current regs before you soak a bait.
Best offerings today:
- For **steelhead**, think small and natural: 1/8‑oz jigs in black/blue or cerise with a little shrimp oil, or small spin‑n‑glos with a match‑head size chunk of sand shrimp or coon‑stripe tail. A nickel‑size glob of eggs under a float will still get bit when the water’s got a little stain.
- For **walleye**, go with 3–4" soft plastics on 3/8‑ to 1/2‑oz jigheads in green pumpkin, perch, or plain white, hopped slow right on bottom. Slow‑trolled worm harnesses behind a bottom‑walker in chartreuse or firetiger will mop up when the wind gives you a steady slide.
- For **sturgeon**, classic Columbia fare: sand shrimp, smelt, or squid strips on a slider, 8–10 oz of lead depending on current, 60–80 lb leader. Fresh bait will out‑fish the freezer‑burned stuff every time.
Couple of local hot spots to put on your list:
- **Government Island / I‑205 Reach**: Work the edges in 20–35 feet for walleye on the flood, then slide a little deeper as the tide tops out. Good place to bobber fish for the odd traveling steelhead too.
- **Kelly Point down toward Sauvies**: Anchor on the inside turns for sturgeon, especially right as that mid‑day high rolls over and starts to dump. Look for 35–60 feet and a clean mud bottom.
Overall, don’t expect summer numbers, but if you fish that mid‑day tide swing, keep your gear slow and close to bottom, and move until you mark life, you’ve got a real shot at bending a rod.
Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss tomorrow’s report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI